Pitch Black: The Riddicks
by RavenSparrow
Summary: Ravyn Riddick is on her way back to Slam along with her husband the notorious yet handsome crook, Riddick. Only problem is they crash on some strange planet. Now they must depend on each other and save strangers.
1. Prologue: Sleeping Awake

Pitch Black: The Riddicks  
  
RavenSparrow17  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Pitch Black or any characters within except for Ravyn.  
  
Prologue: Sleeping Awake  
  
The sleep was enticing but it was not enough to lure her in. Ravyn Riddick was more concerned with the man in front of her own personal prison. She hated the horse bits, the shivs, and the blindfold. It was a known fact that with all that "gear", it was a sure guarantee your ride would be uncomfortable. Whoever came up with this treatment of prisoner must have wanted death threats.  
Five years. They had been married five years. They had met in Slam when she had been transferred from Crematoria. It took forever to dig up a priest. Neither had a ring but she got a tattoo. Riddick'sRavyn. Nothing fancy really just a title she carried proudly. She grinded her teeth in irritation. This fake sleep shit wasn't cutting it. It gave her too much time to think and not enough to do anything else. Ravyn began to wonder what Riddick was doing. By his breathing pattern he wasn't asleep and just as restless. She smiled wide ignoring the pain the bit was providing.  
They say most of your brain shuts down in chryo-sleep. All but the primitive side, the animal side. No wonder Riddick was still awake. He had listened to all of the commotion while the forty plus passengers boarded. They ranged from a hoo doo holy man to free settlers. Yet Riddick's main concern was a blue-eyed devil named Johns. He was planning on taking him and Ravyn back to Slam.  
A long time between stops. A long time for something to go wrong. Something did go wrong. During his thinking, Riddick sensed that there was activity going on outside of the ship. A meteor shower began to make its destructive trek across the Hunter Gratzner. The smaller meteors pierced through the hull even the captain, Tom Mitchell.  
About that time, docking pilot, Carolyn Fry, woke up from chryno- sleep. The monitor on her chamber showed the captain's vital signs had flat lined. Pulling the emergency trap door device Fry fell to the floor quickly followed by Navigating Officer, Greg Owens.  
"Why did I fall on you?", he questioned crawling off her.  
"The captain is dead. I was looking right at him", Fry changed the subject.  
"The chryno shows we're still twenty-two weeks out. S-so gravity wasn't suppose to kick in for another nineteen. So why did I fall at all?", Owen was getting panicky.  
"Did you hear me? Captain's dead!", Fry enforced, "1550 millibars, dropping 20MB per minute. Shit, we're hemorraging air! Something took a swipe at us!"  
"Just tell me we're still in the shipping lane. Just show me all those stars. Big, bright...", Owens looked at the scanner to see a planet.  
"What?", she asked looking into the screen.  
"This is an emergency dispatch from merchant vessel Hunter Gratzner on route to the Tangius system with forty commercial passengers on board. We have been knocked out of our shipping lane and are currently entering the atmosphere of the planet in the following position: x-38, strobe 9, line 95, strobe 8, z-21...", Owens began shouting into the radio.  
Fry rushed to drop the unnecessary stuff. She started with the rooms and compartments hardly used. Then got rid of the luggage cart.  
"What the...was that a purge, Fry?", Owens demanded.  
"Too heavy in the ass. I can't get the fucking nose down!", Fry continued purging.  
"Crisis program selected number two in the system because it shows only some oxygen. Maximum terrain 220 meters over the mean surface. RC cinder and Jipsim with evaporite deposits. Fry, what are you doing?", the navigating officer noticed the passenger cabin was preparing for purge.  
"I gotta drop more load. Look, I've tried everything else. I still got no horizon", she explained.  
"You better try everything twice because no way do we just flush...", Owens began.  
"Look if you know something I don't then get your ass up here in this chair!", she screamed.  
"Listen Company says we are responsible for every single one of those people, Fry", he reminded.  
"What we die out of sheer fucking nobility for them?", Fry snapped.  
"Don't you touch that handle, Fry!", he ordered running to the gears to mess them up so the purge could not be completed.  
"I'm not going to die for them!", she said pulling the handle. She looked to the screen to see "ERROR" blinking. "Owens!"  
"Seventy seconds, you've got seventy seconds, Fry, to level this beast out!", Owen instructed.  
Just then the windows shattered. Fry had a front row seat to plunging nose first into the surface. When it hit, the ship began to rip from the rear, causing Owens to fly into the control panel. Fry was covered in dirt and trying to gasp for air as she climbed out of the chair. 


	2. Chapter One: Survivors and Escape

Pitch Black: The Riddicks  
  
RavenSparrow17  
  
Disclaimer: I don't think I have to tell you, but just in case... I do not own Pitch Black or any characters within except Ravyn.  
  
Chapter One: Survivors and Escape  
  
Johns looked over to see both Riddick and Ravyn were not in their chambers. Grabbing a flashlight he headed down to the darkest part of the ship. It wasn't long before Riddick's strong legs wrapped the chains around Johns' throat. Pulling out his baton, Johns began to beat his attacker until they both fell to the floor.  
"Somebody's gonna get hurt one of these days, and it ain't gonna be me", he sneered getting up. He placed Riddick on a pole and went in search of Ravyn. She was found entangled underneath the wreckage, still alive, but with a piece of shrap metal in her shoulder. Carefully he removed it, placing a ripped piece of his uniform tight to stop the bleeding. Gently he picked her up listening for any protest and smiled when there wasn't any. He chained her next to her husband.   
Fry began to look for Owens, while Zeke and Shazza Pierce used a torch to release the young boy Jack from his chryno chamber. Under his chair Fry found what she was looking for but he had a lever stuck in his chest. Gently she caressed his face silently cursing him for his brave antics.  
"I'm sorry", she whispered, grabbing the lever.  
"Don't you touch it! Don't you touch that handle!", Owens screamed.  
"Pull it out of him", Zeke suggested running up with all the others behind him.  
"No its too close to his heart", Shazza explained.  
"There's some menestaphine in the med lock in the back of the cabin", Fry said.  
"Not anymore there's not", Paris said looking to see nothing but a giant hole.  
"Get out of here. All of you get out of here", Fry ordered.  
They left to explore their new surroundings, as Fry held Owens until he finally passed. Johns checked in on the two "love birds" every few minutes. When he checked Ravyn's wound, he was shocked to find it had disappeared completely.  
Fry joined the group at the top of the ship, only to be interrogated. She looked towards where the others did to see nothing but a trail of fire and smoke. There were chryno chambers scattered here and there. Fry knew it could have been worse, or even better if Owens had just let her do her job.  
"What the bloody hell happened?", Zeke began to question.  
"It could have been a meteor storm, a rogue comet. I don't know", Fry answered honestly.  
"Well I am very grateful. The beast wasn't meant to land like this, but I think you did well", Shazza praised, "She's the reason why we're alive."  
"Yes, I suppose you're right. Thanks very much", Paris agreed.  
"Yeah. Thanks for saving our dicks", Jack added putting his hand on Fry's shoulder. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!  
Fry was standing outside of the room that held Ravyn and Riddick.  
"They just escaped from a maximum prison", Johns explained walking up.  
"So we just keep them locked up forever?", she asked.  
"Well that would be my choice", Johns bluntly answered.  
"Are they really that dangerous?", Fry was curious about the pair.  
"Well the woman can be, but she's more reasonable than her husband", he explained, "Richard and Ravyn Riddick." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!  
"The whole container is upside down. Everything's probably topsy turvy", Paris complained opening the coffin to reveal whiskey and artifacts.  
"Booze? This is what you have to drink?", Fry asked. Johns had already grabbed a bottle and began to guzzle.  
"I'll need a receipt for that for all of this. These are all my personal things", Paris griped.  
"I guess this won't help you, huh?", Fry asked Imam, a holy man.  
"Unfortunately its not permitted especially while on Hotch", he answered.  
"I hope you know there's no water", Johns added.  
"All deserts have water. It only waits to be found", Imam positively said.  
"I hope you're right", he said continuing to drink.  
"All the more for me then", Paris chimed closing the lid. !(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!  
Riddick began to use his criminal master mind to figure out a way to get loose. He noticed the break in the pole at the top. Carefully he inched up, dislocating his shoulders he turned the chains so that they were now in front of him. Putting the shoulders back in place he fell forward catching the torch on his descent.  
He cut off Ravyn's chains after finishing his. He noticed the bandage around her shoulder. Barely touching it he brought her attention to it.  
"What happened?", he said untying it.  
"When we crashed I flew out of the chamber. When I landed I felt something pierce my shoulder. Johns wrapped it up after he tied you up", she whispered. She knew he hated Johns but even more when he found an excuse to touch her.  
Riddick growled. He would kill Johns before they left this planet that he swore.  
"I'm alright. Let's go before Johns gets suspicious, huh?", Ravyn smiled caressing Riddick's face.  
They took their chains and left them in the direction of sunset. With their goggles intact they went towards sunrise. They knew before they saw the light that there was something different about this planet. More like three different somethings that their fellow survivors had yet to realize. 


	3. Chapter Two: Water and the Merc

Pitch Black: The Riddicks  
  
RavenSparrow17  
  
Disclaimer: Nope...I still don't own anything regarding Riddick. But I do own Ravyn.  
  
Chapter Two: Water and The Merc  
  
Johns got his equipment ready. A loaded gun, baton, and telescope later he was set for the hunt.  
"What are those?", Fry asked irritated. She hated the idea that the prisoners escaped.  
"Walking sticks from northern India. They're very rare", Paris explained while he carried a load of antique weapons.  
"What is this?", Zeke asked grabbing something from the pile.  
"That's a blow dart pipe from Paupi, New Guinea. They're also very, very rare, since the tribe is now extinct", he smiled. He loved antiquities.  
"Couldn't hunt shit with this, would be my guess", Zeke complained handing it back.  
"Well, what's the point? I mean if they're gone, they're gone. Why would they bother us?", Paris asked.  
"Maybe to take what you got. Maybe to work your nerves, or maybe to come back and skull fuck you in your sleep", Johns warned.  
"Sounds like a charmer", Shazza sneered walking out with her husband.  
"Charmed that woman that's with him to marry him", Johns mumbled.  
Outside Johns climbed onto the ship to get a better look at what he faced.  
"Imam, if we're going to go look for water we better go before sundown when it gets cold", Fry suggested.  
"Excuse me. I think you should have a look at this", Paris interrupted.  
The group followed and stared in fascination.  
"Three suns?", Jack asked.  
"Bloody hell", Shazza growled.  
"So much for your sundown", Zeke laughed.  
"So much for my cocktail hour", Paris said defeated.  
"We take this as a good sign", Imam smiled, "The path. The direction from Allah. Blue sun, blue water."  
"Ever wonder why I'm an atheist?", Zeke shot at Imam.  
"Bit of a bad sign. That's Riddick's direction", Johns said.  
"But I thought you found their restraints over there. Towards sunset", Fry asked.  
"Right. Which means they went towards sunrise. Zeke, fully loaded clip, safety button's off. One shot if you see him", Johns instructed.  
"Don't tell me you're going off too", Zeke complained.  
"What if Mr. Riddick or Mrs. Riddick spots us first?", Paris asked nervously.  
"Then, there'll be no shots", Johns smiled.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!  
Fry, Johns, Imam, and his three sons went in search of water, never knowing they were being watched. Johns stopped suddenly, thinking that Riddick and Ravyn were over the hill he charged forward leaving a confused Fry. She turned to Imam when she saw the three boys throwing stones at the foot of the hill.  
"Seven stones to keep the devils at bay", he explained.  
Fry went up the hill to check on Johns only have to the gun in her face.  
"Sorry", he smiled.  
"Do you see anything?", Fry asked breathless.  
"No sign of either Riddick. Trees, and trees mean water", he grinned.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!  
Back at camp Zeke began to bury the bodies, and Paris kept an eye out.  
"Comfy up there?!", Zeke yelled.  
"Yes, but its strange how you can do without the necessities of life provided you have the little luxuries", Paris puffed from his cigar.  
"Just keep your bloody eyes open. I don't want those bloody dogs sneaking up on my bloody ass", Zeke scolded.  
"Yes, well while you dig the graves, I'll keep the fort, ol boy", Paris smiled. A boomerang was placed in front of his neck.  
"Probably get you right here underneath the jaw and you'd never know it because that's how good the Riddicks are", Jack whispered.  
"Tell me something. Did you runaway from your parents or did they run away from you?", Paris said through gritted teeth.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!  
The hunting party reached what they thought were trees, but on a closer look it was the back bone structure of an animal.  
"Animal graveyard perhaps. Like the elephants of Earth", Imam reasoned when he turned to see several more large bodies.  
"What could have killed so many great things?", he continued.  
"Is this whole planet dead?", Fry asked herself aloud.  
They continued their journey through the valley of the bones. Johns began checking under the rib cages. He missed a crevice that Riddick and Ravyn were snuggled in. They weren't worried until Fry unsuspectingly stopped to check her breathing machine right next to Ravyn. Johns came to have a chat, which put Riddick on his toes. He climbed down to lurk in the shadows.  
"Drink?", Johns asked giving the liquor to Fry.  
"Probably shouldn't do this, dehydrates you even more", she smiled drinking it.  
"You know you could have stayed back at the ship, probably should have. You know what happens if we don't find water", he answered.  
"I wanted to get away", Fry assured him.  
"Never seen a captain so ready to leave her ship", Johns hinted.  
"I think we should keep moving", She said walking off.  
"What'd Owens mean by not touching the handle? This is between you and me, Carolyn. I promise", he assured her.  
"Tell me what's with the woman. I noticed you're fond of her", Fry questioned.  
"You first", Johns smiled.  
"I'm not your captain. During the landing when things were at their worst Owens was at his best. He is the one that stopped the docking pilot from dumping the main cabin. The passengers", she whispered.  
"The docking pilot being?", Johns already knew the answer, but wanted to hear her say it. He noticed her weak smile.  
"I guess I'm a little more glad to be here than I thought", he continued, placing his hat on her head.  
"Now its your turn", Fry hinted.  
"Well...I've known her for a while. She's...well...I", Johns stuttered.  
"You love her. Its obvious in the way you treat her", she smiled.  
"Yeah well she's not mine to love", he whispered sadly, "She comes from some strange ancient race. Whenever she gets hurt she heals quickly. She has eyes that can see through the dark. Everyone around her that she loves she protects. She fiercely loyal to her 'beloveds'."  
"Beloveds? Were you a beloved?", Fry was beginning to wonder.  
"People she allowed to care for her, and she allowed herself to care for. No, its always been Riddick", Johns ended the conversation.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!  
Zeke continued the never ending task of burying the bodies. He took a break to ready his gun. Paris was fanning himself enjoying not having to do anything when he heard a noise. Quickly he ran to the ship.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

Passing through a bone archway, Ali, the youngest son, found a robot. They reached the end of the trail to find an abandoned settlement. Inside Fry found a small model of the solar system they were in.  
"No darkness. No lights because no darkness", she whispered when she noticed there were no lights in the building. Upon walking outside she noticed a glare off of an object.  
"Hello Mecca!", she yelled running to the ship.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!  
"Tell me that was you just now", Paris demanded of Jack.  
"What are you going on about? He's been right here helping me", Shazza defended.  
"Back at the ship, that noise? You trying to tell me that was someone else...", Paris continued until they all heard another sound.  
Jack ran to the nearest hole to see who or what was outside. He turned and mouthed the name, Riddick. Shazza grabbed the reaper from Paris and readied herself at the door. She stopped in mid swing when Jack yelled no. It was another survivor.  
"Oh my god. I thought I was the only who got out of the crash alive", he said exhausted.  
Blood was hurled onto Shazza's face as the man fell limp at her feet. A few yards away stood a shocked Zeke holding his gun.  
"It was just somebody else. Somebody else from the crash!", Jack yelled at Zeke as he ran up.  
"Crikey, I thought it was him. I thought it was Riddick", Zeke explained checking for a pulse. There wasn't one.  
Riddick and Ravyn watched from Paris's lookout point. They were slightly amused at how jumpy the others were, yet deeply disturbed at how sloppy of a job they pulled. It would be a wonder if they didn't accidentally kill each other. Ravyn shared a swig of liquor with Riddick before sitting down in the chair. She was surprised when he yanked her out and sat down pulling her into his lap.  
"Comfortable?", she smiled.  
"Very", he purred wrapping his arm around her waist.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!  
"No juice. It looks like its been laid up for years, but we may be able to adapt it to", Fry began to explain as she finished her check of the skiff.  
"Shut up!", Johns ordered, "Sorry, I thought I heard something."  
"Like what?", she asked.  
"Gunshots", he mumbled.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!  
Zeke trudged by not knowing that Ravyn lay cat napping in the chair. Riddick wasn't far so there were no worries.  
When he reached the burial place Zeke noticed all the bodies were gone except for there was a hole at the bottom. He climbed down closer to take a look. Shining the flashlight he barely had time to react to whatever grabbed him. He began shooting the gun and screaming.  
Shazza was the first to hear the chaos and ran. She found blood all around the hole. Looking around she saw Ravyn behind her and turning to look straight ahead she found Riddick. Riddick had heard the shots as well and thought Ravyn was in trouble. When he reached the spot he noticed Ravyn was standing opposite of him, fully intact and no blood shed to be found anywhere except where Zeke was last seen. Without hesitation they began to run.  
Out of nowhere Johns used his baton to wipe out Riddick. Ravyn jumped on his back only to be thrown into Paris and Jack. Riddick grabbed Johns from where he was still laying, but became helpless when his goggles were taken from him. Johns then began to punch him. Ravyn jumped onto Johns's back again taking him down. She flipped and straddled him. Punch after punch she kept hitting him until she realized Shazza was trying to get Riddick too. She shot up and began to run to him when Johns tripped her and sat on her using his weight to keep her down as he handcuffed her wrists behind her back.  
"What did you do to Zeke?", Shazza screamed as she hit Riddick in the face with a pole she had found. "What did you do to him?!"  
Fry tried to pull her away but not before Shazza kicked him in the face, screaming, "Someone just goddamn kill him before he kills more!"


	4. Chapter Three: Discovery and Past Relati...

Pitch Black: The Riddicks

RavenSparrow17

Disclaimer: I still don't own Riddick....

Chapter Three: Monsters and Hope

"Again with the chains?", Ravyn smiled as Johns walked into the room, "All you had to do was ask me out."

"Would it have worked?", Johns asked annoyed.

"You know the answer to that just as well as I do, Dearest", she said stoically.

"Why him?", he growled.

"Why not him?", Ravyn became defensive. She was working him up to shout out anything she could use against him later, if the need came.

"You said you loved me", Johns accused.

"I was working an angle to get off of Crematoria. A relationship with an officer got me discharged to Slam. You know I never meant a word", she answered.

"So everything you told me was a lie?", he was beginning to lose his cool.

"No, not everything. When I said eventually I would spill your weasley black guts out I meant it", Ravyn sneered. She loved playing mind games with people. Especially when she worked her sexual charm on them.

"I should kill you now", Johns pointed the gun between her eyes. He wanted to kill her. He wanted to make Riddick suffer the same loss he felt when he found out she went and married a crook.

"But you won't. I am under your skin. I've made a home there. There is no way you would kill your unrequited love, especially since you think you have a chance. There is no way in hell I will ever love you", she hissed.

Johns left before he completely lost everything. He knew she liked to work his temper. That's how she figured out how to be transferred. He wasn't going to make the same mistake again. No way would he let her leave with Riddick. Everything was going to plan, soon Ravyn would be his. If it was the last thing he did.

Ravyn kept her eyes on Riddick until she sensed he was conscious again. Johns had tied her to a pole right behind him.

"Are you okay?", she whispered.

"I'm fine. What about you?", he turned his head towards her voice. He had been out a while and knew anything could have gone on while he was "away". He knew his wife could handle herself around Johns, he didn't have to worry about her. It was Johns that would find ways to be near her, and he didn't want anyone near HIS wife unless it was him.

"I'm alright. Johns was suppose to be asking me about the free settler, but you know how that always goes. On another subject I swear I'll make the woman settler join her beloved if she touches you again", Ravyn growled.

"Calm down, Tiger. You don't touch her until I get Johns", Riddick laughed.

"Deal", she answered before Fry came barging in, "Where's the body?"

"Well do you wanna tell me about the sounds? Look you told Johns that you heard something", she kept drilling. There still wasn't an answer.

"Fine. Its fine if you don't want to talk to me. But just so you know there's a debate right now as to whether we leave you both here to die", she bit out as she turned to leave.

"You mean the whispers?", Ravyn chimed.

"What whispers?", Fry asked quietly.

'Hook, line, and sink her', Riddick thought. His wife was a pro at getting and keeping people's attention. That's one characteristic that got him snagged, otherwise he would still be an eligible bachelor.

"The ones telling us to go for the sweet spot just to the left of the spine, fourth lumbar down, the adominable aeorta. It's a metallic taste, human blood. Copperish, but if you cut it with a peppermint snap that goes away..", she continued.

"Do you wanna shock me with the truth now?", Fry interrupted.

"All you people are so scared of us. You stay out of our way, which I don't mind, but it ain't us you gotta worry about", Riddick sneered.

"Show me your eyes, Ravyn", Fry turned her attention to Johns' obsession.

"I take it Johns told you", she purred, "You'll have to come a lot closer."

She sensed the nod. Riddick gave the definite signal that he knew what she was up to by his slow controlled breaths, poising himself for what was about to happen.

"Riddick's are the same way", Ravyn hinted. The light footsteps started in the murderer's direction. 'Got her, Captain', Mrs. Riddick sang in her head as her husband took over the little jist.

"Closer", Riddick whispered. He could feel her, but for his scare to work she'd have to be somewhat closer.

Fry came within inches of them when Ravyn's eyes opened. They glowed beautifully in the dark corner she sat in. Riddick took the distraction and lunged forward opening his eyes as well. Fry jumped back almost tripping over her own feet. In unison the Riddicks turned their soul-less eyes to Jack, who stood but a few feet from Ravyn.

"Where the can I get eyes like that?", he smiled.

"You gotta kill a few people", Riddick answered staring at Fry.

"Okay I can do it", Jack said excitedly walking closer to Ravyn.

"Then you gotta get sent to a slam where they tell you, you'll never see daylight again. Then you dig up a doctor and pay him twenty menthol kools to do a surgical shine job on your eyeballs", he continued turning his head toward Jack as his gaze stayed on Fry.

"So you can see who's sneaking up on you in the dark?", Jack smiled.

"Exactly", Ravyn popped in standing up.

"Leave!", Fry ordered. "Leave", she said again more calmly. Ravyn winked at Jack before turning to listen to Riddick.

"Cute kid", he nodded.

"Isn't he though", Ravyn smiled, before she looked to Carolyn.

"Did I kill a few people? Sure. Did I kill Zeke? No. You got the wrong killer. My wife didn't either. She only kills when she has to", Riddick teased.

"He's not in the hole. We looked", Fry glared at Ravyn.

"Look deeper. In fact get Johns in here so he can release me and I'll go down that hole and prove to you all that we had nothing to do with the free settler's disappearance", Ravyn dared.

Five minutes later Johns came in with the keys. As she rubbed her wrists she could sense Riddick's hesitation.

"I'll be back, and when I do I expect my husband to be released as well, Johns", Ravyn hissed.

After putting the utility belt on and grabbing a flashlight Ravyn began to crawl into the hole. She looked back to see Johns and Imam holding the rope. She smiled and continued on. Halfway in she found Zeke's flashlight, covered in blood. 'How the hell did I end up doing this. I hope I'm right', she mused in her head.

She kept crawling until she reached a cave. In the cave were several holes to the surface. The dirt began to stir beneath her feet, and she could make out a shape. Taking off her goggles she moved to a corner, catching the scent of blood and death. Upon a closer inspection she found what was left of Zeke. About a foot above his right ankle down. It was then something knocked the flashlight out of her hand. She backed up to a mound that lead to the surface. Her eyes turned to the wall in front of her. There were three creatures crawling like spiders with ease all along the edges. From what she could make out they had a tail and wings. The gleam off of their sharp claws gave the signal that Ravyn's welcome was long overstayed. Quickly she climbed up the mound to shimmy up the tunnel. A slight tug on her rope gave her the assumption that they had truly spotted her. Mentally she cursed herself as she clawed her way to the light. Ravyn tried to undo her rope but the clip was stuck. Reluctantly she began calling for help while she tried to keep her grip and stay in the light.

Imam leaned down thinking he heard something. Shazza and Jack began to do the same. Fry could barely hear it, but she thought she heard screaming. It was then you could hear Riddick banging his chains trying to get loose. He could sense Ravyn was in trouble. 'Shit, shit, shit, I knew I shouldn't have let her go down there!', Riddick began to chant in his head. It was like a war cry that no matter what he did he could not answer.

Fry ran to each mound trying to hear Ravyn. When she found it she signaled Johns and Imam. They grabbed a pick and began beating a hole in the side.

Ravyn saw their hands and let go of the sides praying they would be strong enough to pull her through. They did. She had never been so happy to see Johns in her life. He carried her bridal style to a rock a few feet away. She was bombarded by questions.

"Did you find Zeke?", Shazza asked hopefully.

"I knew this wasn't a good idea. Just to prove him innocent you would welcome your own death, wouldn't you?", Johns chastised.

"Jesus!", Ravyn yelled, "I am so fucking stupid. I don't know what the fuck is down there. Whatever it is it got Zeke and it nearly got me."

Ravyn was jerked back about five feet and almost completely went into the hole they dug to get her out. Pulling out the knife she had just stole from Johns she cut loose and lunged to the ground.

"Finally found something worse than me?", Riddick smiled, "Where's my wife?"

"She's fine. You know I wouldn't let anything happen to her", Johns assured.

"She's not yours to protect. She's mine", Riddick growled.

"Here's the deal. You work without chains, without bit, and without shivs. You do what I say when I say it", Johns changed the subject.

"For what? So I can get sent to some asshole of a cell and you take Ravyn? Fuck you", Riddick bit out.

"The truth is because I'm tired of chasing you. The both of you", Johns wheezed.

"Are you saying you'd cut us loose?", Riddick became curious. What excuse could a bounty hunter come up with that would look good enough to believe and not ruin his image?

"I'm thinking the both of you could have died in the crash", Johns hinted.

'Maybe he's good for something', Riddick reminded himself, 'But not good enough.'

"My recommendation: do me. I wouldn't take the chance that I could get shiv happy on your wannabe ass", Riddick mumbled.

"Okay. But what about Ravyn?," Johns sneered.

"Ghost me motherfucker. That's what she would do to you" , Riddick growled.

Johns reached for his gun and shot. Riddick moved his head to the side as he pulled his chains loose from the wall. Ravyn came running, praying that neither man was hurt. One she loved, one she found useful when the need came for him. She stopped when she realized nothing was wrong. Johns backed away to reveal what the woman could already sense. No harm had come to either.

"I want you to remember this moment. The way it could have gone and didn't. Here", Johns warned handing Riddick his goggles.

Instead of grabbing the goggles Riddick grabbed the gun. He shoved it into Johns' face and looked to see Ravyn watching. Nothing like showing a woman how weak a man is. A philosophy that made Johns squirm under the eyes of his obsession.

"Fuck you! You let my wife go down into a hell hole without anyone else? Why didn't you send me? A better chance for you to steal her away if something were to happen to me! I should kill you for even looking at her", Riddick yelled.

"Have we got a deal?", Johns tried to calm the situation down. It wasn't working. He could tell not only was he passing over Riddick's temper limits but he had also gone far past Ravyn's. Her glare was enough to kill an immortal.

"You stay away from Ravyn, and we have a deal", Riddick continued dropping the gun and snatching his goggles.

"I want you to remember this moment. Pull another stunt like this and it will be your last", Ravyn warned as she followed after her husband.

The group grabbed provisions for the trip back to the abandoned settlement. Fry got one of the power cells to do a systems check on the skiff. Riddick was to carry it. The sunrise was as intense as the sunset. The heat was enough to make one's blood boil, or so it seemed to Ravyn. She used to the heat but not this kind. She preferred the cold all thanks to that prison Crematoria. Her thoughts were cut short when she heard the conversation taking place a few feet ahead.

"So click your fingers and they're one of us now?", Shazza smarted while they made their way.

"No, I didn't say that. But this way I don't have to worry about ya'll falling asleep and not waking up", Johns kidded.

"So can I talk to them now?", Jack said excitedly.

"No", Johns and Shazza said in unison.

Paris dropped one of his liquor bottles, but Riddick beat him to it. Ravyn wanted to laugh at the look the petrified man kept giving as he stuttered to talk.

"Paris P. Olberby, antiquities dealer and entrepreneur", he said nervously.

"Richard B. Riddick, escaped convict, murderer. This is my wife...", Riddick said shaking Paris's hand.

"Ravyn Alizay Riddick, also escaped convict, hit woman", Ravyn finished, smiling when Paris kissed her hand.

"That's a particularly good Charazze. It's a lovely drop. Its very expensive. By all means help yourself", Paris said defeatedly as Riddick drank half and handed it to Ravyn. She shook her head and offered it back to Paris. He gratefully accepted.

After arriving Imam, Paris, and the two older boys found the machine containing water. Only after it was proven to work did they run and tell the others. Fry, Shazza, and Johns were checking the skiff over. They had just turned it on.

"We are getting there. So we've got enough power for a sys check but we still need more cells", Fry thought aloud as she got up from her position on the floor to look at the screens toward the front.

"How many we talking about?", Johns asked. He wanted to know precisely incase if worst turned to worst and he only survived then there would be no questions later we he took the skiff. It was part of his developing plan to take the skiff and Ravyn and leave all especially Riddick to die. Either way he wanted to be covered.

"Um...lets see. I've got a ninety gig draw...the other ship takes twenty gig cells, that'll be five. Five total to launch", Fry answered continuing her inspection.

"Thirty kilos each, huh?", Johns thought to himself. It would be impossible for one to carry all of those so he decided to let the others do it for him.

"Well, that's pretty heavy. You know that ol' sandcat out there? I might be able to get it going", Shazza explained. She and Zeke use to be miners on Aulitan, their home planet, so she was familiar with the equipment used here.

"Yeah well do it if you can, but if you need any help...where'd Riddick go?", Johns asked looking out the window.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thank you for the tip, Faewen! I thought at first hey what do you know!? But then I looked and I was like wow, they're right. So again thank you and look for revisions of the first two chapters!


	5. Chapter Four: Threatening Menace

Pitch Black: The Riddicks

Chapter four: Mystery Solved; Threatening Menace

RavenSparrow17

Disclaimer: the usual...if I didn't own Riddick when I started this story what makes you think I own it now? I mean on people nobody in their right mind would be able to afford the copyrights....well until I make my first million...(evil grin).

Riddick and Ravyn were checking out their surroundings. They were trying to figure out a way to leave unnoticed, at least until it was too late. The abandoned settlement had a bit of chill for Ravyn's taste. Riddick took notice of it. He knew that she had been here before when her people would come here to worship whatever was on this planet at that time. She never really spoke of it much, he figured it didn't impress her.

"What's wrong?", he grinned, "Bad vibes?" It was strange but his wife possessed some sort of gift. She could dream about any point in time, which was usually hard to tell whether it was past, present, or future, and could tell when something bad was about to happen.

"I had a dream about this place once, back on Crematoria. I was scared out of my mind running through the dark, running from something that resembled those fuckers I saw down in that hellhole. But the thing is it wasn't me, I was someone else, from some other planet. I knew it was about to happen but I couldn't stop it. The last thing I saw before I woke up was something coming towards me. I felt a pain in my chest, and I smelt blood. And that was it", she confessed. The dream occurred well after she found out she was being transferred to Slam. She had never told anyone because when she told people her dreams they came true, and then she was considered a witch or a sorceress. Persecution from people who are basically in the same amount of shit as you is the worst irony of them all. A philosophy she had learned from Riddick.

"No worries. Your dreams usually are true. I trust them. So why don't you show me where exactly you were running from and to?", Riddick comforted. He knew she hated sharing her dreams with anyone, but he never questioned her.

Ravyn noticed a pair of glasses on the ground near the Coring room. Riddick checked the doors to find them locked. Ravyn picked up the glasses and handed them to Riddick as she looked in through the dusty windows of the chained doors.

"These fell off my face. I couldn't see without them. That's how the creature caught me. I couldn't see it clearly. I was basically blind without them", Ravyn explained as she turned around. They were both annoyed to hear Johns's whistle.

"You're missing the party, come on, boy", he laughed patting his leg. Ravyn pulled the tarp covering the front side of the doors to reveal a surprised Jack. "You're missing the party, come on", she smiled.

Inside the main building believed to be the dwelling dorms , Imam was singing praises to Allah, as they were drinking water. Jack walked in following Ravyn. All eyes fell on the boy.

"What?", Ravyn asked obviously annoyed. She hated people who just kept staring like dumb asses instead of telling you what they saw.

"It's the winner of the look alike contest", Paris kidded. He was trying to keep the tension down between the group. If worst came to worst he didn't want to have to pick which group to leave with.

Jack had shaved his head and found a pair of goggles. The goggles weren't completely intact but the intent was obvious in their appearance. He looked like a mini Riddick.

"Sit over here with me, Kid", Ravyn invited. She didn't want to admit it, but Jack was beginning to grow on her. Yet there was something odd about him, and she couldn't put her fingers on it.

"I don't think that is a good idea", Shazza said warily. She was easily convinced to sit back down when Ravyn glared at her.

"I don't think Jack needs a keeper. He's old enough to think for himself. I wouldn't get on higher on my priority list if I were you. I'm not going to let you get away for kicking the shit out of my husband. Which by the way was a good kick, but a bad move because he was defenseless. Only a coward attacks the weak", Ravyn growled.

"I thought he killed **my** husband", Shazza defended herself.

"Well now you know he didn't. So please stay away from me. It only upsets me", Ravyn smiled. She knew she was working her nerves. God, how she loved upsetting people.

"Who were these people, miners?", Paris asked trying to change the subject.

"I don't know, looks like geologists. You know? An advanced team that moves from rock to rock", Shazza explained picking up a rock sample.

"Nice of them to leave so much stuff here. Why did they leave their ship?", Fry questioned walking towards the group.

Ravyn noticed Imam's anxiety and watched him walk out the door. The youngest boy, Ali, was missing.

"It's not a ship, it's a skiff, and it's disposable really", Johns said pouring more water into his glass and looking towards Riddick.

"It's more like an emergency life raft, right?", Paris asked lighting a cigar.

"Yeah. They probably had a big drop ship take them off planet", Shazza added.

"These people didn't leave. Come on, whatever got Zeke got them. They're all dead", Riddick announced while cleaning his goggles. "You don't really think they really left with their clothes on their hooks, photos on their shelves?", he continued.

"Maybe they had weight limits. You don't know", Shazza bit back.

"I know you don't prep your fucking emergency ship unless there is a fucking emergency, you know it all ass wipe", Ravyn defended.

"That's fucking right", Jack supported.

"Watch your mouth", Johns warned.

"They're just saying what we're all thinking. So what happened to them? Where are they?", Fry asked. She was willing to go on a little faith.

"Has anyone seen the little one, Ali?", Imam came rushing in.

"Has anyone checked the Coring room?", Ravyn suggested. It was then she heard it. Screams of sheer terror, just like she had screamed in her dream. She was the first out of the room followed quickly by Imam.

Johns shot open the doors and covered Imam as he ran in. Jack started to go as well, but Ravyn grabbed his collar and shook her head. Imam continued his search until he reached a door that kept moving. There were horrible sounds coming out of it. Ravyn could smell the death and decay already and knew what they were to find.

"That's the same noise those creatures make in the cave", Ravyn whispered to Riddick.

"Ali?", Imam called as he reached to open the doors.

"Brace yourself", Riddick whispered as he wrapped his arm around Ravyn's waist. She nodded to signal her readiness.

The doors flew open as a hundred or so tiny bat looking things flew out. They circled around to the doors as Riddick and Ravyn pulled them closed. They reopened them just in time to see the black flying mass flow down into the cellar.

"Imam?" Johns called.

Ravyn smelled the scent of the little boy, Ali, a scent she liked although she wouldn't admit it. The scent of sandalwood and papayas. She moved closer to see Imam crawling on the ground towards the open doors. All but Riddick and Ravyn jumped back when Ali's corpse fell into view. Imam buried him right outside the settlement as the rest of the group tried to figure out what those creatures were.

Back in the Coring room, Johns lit a flare and threw it into the hole. All leaned forward as they watched it fall into the shaft. Yet Johns was looking at Ravyn and not the falling flare.

"Other buildings weren't secure. So they ran in here. Heaviest doors. Thought they'd be safe inside, but they forgot to lock the cellar", Riddick explained. It made sense to him and Ravyn's dream was proof enough, for him at least. Ravyn walked away to the other part of the Coring room followed by Fry.

"I know you know something else, so why not tell us?", Fry probed.

"I will tell you in due time. You also know something that you have yet to share with the group. Riddick and I already know", Ravyn hinted.

"Whatever those things were they seem to stick to darkness so if we stick to daylight we should be alright, okay? Now let's go", Johns patted Fry's shoulder as he looked to Ravyn, seeing if she was hiding something.

"Twenty-two years ago", Ravyn said as she walked over to pick up a rock sample.

"What?", Fry said turning around to face her.

"These coring samples are dated. The last one is twenty-two years ago this month", she continued.

"Okay, is there something special about that, Ravyn?", Johns said annoyed. He knew she was hiding something and she was playing a cryptic riddle. There was no time for her games and he wished she would just spit it out instead of hinting until someone else figured it out.

Fry rushed out of the room to the model solar system she had found right before the ship. Ravyn knew why, she and Riddick had found it right after her. It only took like three seconds before Riddick figured out how to work it and what it meant. The group followed after Ravyn who was hot on Fry's heels. They watched as Fry pushed the cycle along until number twenty-two showed up on the side.

"Eclipse", Ravyn smiled as she stated the obvious.

"Not afraid of the dark are you?", Riddick teased as he slid behind her wrapping his arms around her and burying his head into her neck.

"Of course not. It's our element", Ravyn purred. She tilted her head and kissed him on the temple as he pulled away. She smiled when she saw the hurt and jealousy on Johns's face.

"So we gotta get the power cells. Shit I still gotta check on the hull and patch the wires", Fry explained as she rushed to the skiff.

"Wait on the power cells", Johns advised.

"What? Wait for what? Til its so dark we can't find out way back?", she snipped.

"You don't even know when its going to happen, so let's not get over excited", Johns calmly said.

"Just get the fucking cells here, Johns! What is the discussion?", Fry yelled turning around to face her irritant.

"Maybe I should tell you how Riddick escaped", he gestured towards the skiff.

"He can pilot?", Fry sighed.

"Yeah he jacked a prison transport and made a hell of a trail until I tracked him down", Johns smiled.

"Okay, okay maybe that's a good thing. Maybe we can use him", she thought positively, "Maybe he can help navigate or something."

"He also figured out how to kill a pilot", Johns mumbled.

"Look you told me I could trust them, we made a deal, Johns", Fry growled. She hated when she wasn't told everything she needed to know before she made a decision.

"As you may have noticed chains don't work on this guy, besides I said you could trust Mrs. Riddick. I didn't say anything about her husband", Johns corrected, "Now the only way you people are truly safe is if he believes they're going free."

"You mean if he realizes we're going to fuck him over", she hissed. Already she could see Riddick on a killing spree with his dutiful wife right behind making sure that they were dead.

"I want you to just listen to me for a second. If we bring the cells up at the last possible minute, when the winds are ready, when we know we're ready...", Johns schemed. Honestly he didn't want a chance that Riddick would leave planet with Ravyn and this was the only way to ensure that.

"You know they haven't really hurt any of us. Ravyn has taken a liking to Jack even. As far as I can tell they haven't lied to us. So lets just stick to the deal", she interrupted while leaning back.

"They are killers! The law says they have to do their bid, there's nothing I can do about that", he growled at her.

"You're dancing on razor blades here. I know that you would never and I mean never send Ravyn back to a hellhole. Its just not chivalry enough for you. You would die for her. Its obvious that you are completely infatuated with her", Fry warned.

"I'm not going to give him a chance to grab another ship, nor slash another pilot's throat. Not on my watch", Johns said getting up. He wasn't about to let all his plans spill out in a conversation with the key element to his escape plan. He needed someone to pilot so when the heat came it would trace back to whoever piloted. On the way out he paused and leaned against the wall while messaging the pressure point between his eyes. As soon as he was outside he began vomiting.

Riddick was shaving his head, keeping an ear out on Ravyn as she played with Jack and the other two boys. "Bad sign", he sneered as he wiped off the excess grease, "Shaking like that in this heat." He began to rake the blade across his head again.

"I thought I said no shivs", Johns paused long enough to ask a question.

"This? This is just a personal grooming appliance", Riddick teased as he kept shaving.

Fry was closing the door of the hull to do a hull check. She was sliding all around in her chair checking the vitals, when she turned around to see Ravyn.

"Looks like we're a few shy...powercells", she mumbled.

"They're coming", Fry whispered.

"Its strange not doing a run up on the main drive yet. Unless...unless he told you the particulars of our escape", Riddick hinted as he came from behind his wife. He placed his breathing machine on a lever as he moved closer.

"I got the quick and ugly version", she said nervously.

"And you're worried about a repeat of history?", Ravyn smiled.

"It has entered our minds", Fry answered turning off the screens so they wouldn't see any useful information.

"I asked what you thought", Riddick whispered inching closer to her.

"You scare me. Both of you. That's what you wanted to hear isn't it? Now can I just get back to work", she said turning away from him.

"I've been meaning to catch up with you...alone...unrestrained", he smiled. It was then he let Ravyn take over and work her manipulating magic.

"Do you think Johns is a do-right man? Do you think we can trust him about cutting me and Riddick loose?", Ravyn bluntly asked.

"Why what did you hear?", Fry stuttered. She was walking closer to her seat so she could sit instead of stand but Ravyn got close to her ear.

"Well I guess if it was trickery or the fact that he wants me and will do anything to have me, he would ex me out. He'd kill me and Riddick. Then again my husband is worth twice as much alive. But you didn't know that. Your Johns ain't a cop. He's got that nickel slick badge and that blue uniform. But he's just a merc. And Riddick is just a payday while I am his soul reason for living. That's why he won't kill us, see? Greed is the creed", her voice was seductive, inviting, convincing, but Fry quickly snapped out of it.

"Don't waste my time. We're not going to turn on each other no matter how hard you try", Fry warned. Quickly she sat down in her seat trying to ignore the fact that they were still there. She stopped when she heard his footsteps.

"I don't truly know what's going to happen when the lights go out, Carolyn. But I do know that once the dying starts, this little psycho fuck family of ours is going to rip itself apart", Riddick grinned.

"Its already happening. You are all falling to pieces and you're in for a ride. So don't get too comfortable or formal with anyone. Alliances never last long. Why do you think my people are a rarity?", Ravyn laughed.

"And you would turn on each other?", Fry smarted.

"I will protect my wife as I have always done", Riddick growled. He knew Ravyn wanted to answer how she would protect him but they both knew he was the stronger of the two and nothing could keep him away from her side. They walked back to Riddick's breathing machine. "Ever wonder why Johns shakes like that?", he changed the subject, "Ask him. And ask him why your crew pal had to scream so painfully before he died." With that they were gone.

Fry took Riddick's advice and went in search of Johns. He was in the dwelling unit in one of the back rooms.. He placed the needle near his eye and pressed down. She watched intently as he shot up with something.

"So who are you really?", Fry demanded, "You're not a cop are you?"

"I never said I was, Carolyn", Johns slurred as he opened his eyes.

"No you didn't. And you never said you were a hype either", she growled as she looked into his case.

"You have a little caffeine in the morning. I have a little morphine. So what?", he replied.

"So you got two mornings everyday, wow. You were born lucky", Fry hissed.

"Is that a problem? Unless you're gonna make...", he didn't finish.

"No it becomes a problem when you let Owens die like that!", she screamed, "You have enough drugs here to knock out a mule team! No wonder Ravyn stays with Riddick. At least he doesn't kill people like you, its fast and not long suffering."

"Owens was already dead. His brain just hadn't caught onto the fact. At least I am not a cold-blooded killer. She deserves someone who would be a do-right man, not a criminal whose only ambition in life is to make others suffer as he has", Johns shot back carelessly. He didn't even realize he had let out so much information until it was too late.

"Is there anything else I should know about you, Johns?", Fry ordered. Finally the sight of him was so sickening she had to leave the room.

"Yeah well look to thy own ass first, right Carolyn?", he smiled.

The two elder apprentices came running up to Fry. They kept calling her Captain.

"I'm not your fucking captain", she hissed as she walked out the unit. The planet with rings was rising from the horizon.

"What are my eyes seeing?", Paris whispered.

"That would appear to be an eclipse happening as you are sitting here asking a stupid ass question", Ravyn answered.

"If we need anything from the crash ship I suggest we kick on", Shazza broke the silence that had settled amongst them.

"I agree. Standing around won't get those cells here", Ravyn added following Shazza to the sand cat.


	6. Chapter Five: Darkness Sets

Pitch Black: The Riddicks

RavenSparrow17

Author's Notes: Standard disclaimer and sorry for the long wait….

Chapter Five: Darkness Sets

The group scrambled onto the sand cat. Jack stuck close to Ravyn and noticed his mentor's anxiety. Ravyn's head was twitching this way and that. She was beginning to wonder if Riddick was already in the works of their escape plan, and would tell her later. Yet he was cutting it close, and the others were ready to leave.

"Where's Riddick?", she asked aloud.

"Leave him. He wouldn't wait for any of us", Paris said standing up.

"Are you wanting a death threat? Say something else, my friend, and you may end up outside with the demons", Ravyn warned. She hated all of these people, well except for the kid, whom she was beginning to see was a girl and not a boy. It was obvious in the ways the child acted. The kid tried too much to be a boy.

Just then Riddick jumped from nowhere and landed next to Paris. He smiled, hearing the conversation between his wife and the dealer. It was sexy, the way his wife defended him. If there weren't anyone around, he would have taken her right then…the familiar flesh writhing beneath his body. Quickly he turned to Paris and smiled, trying to stay calm instead of tensing from sexual energy.

"Thought we lost you", Paris weakly laughed.

"Johns!", Shazza shouted. She began to drive off as the merc grabbed his jacket, meds, and gun. He was helped on by Riddick and given a warning growl when he began to stand next to Ravyn, so he opted to move towards Fry. He still needed Riddick to kill the others, and to keep Ravyn distracted from his real plans. Knowing how well she could analyze someone's intentions, it would look suspicious if he attacked her husband without reason.

Ravyn switched sides so she could be next to Riddick. Jack moved so she that she faced her mother figure, while putting her goggles on. Ravyn ducked down as Riddick pointed to the rib tunnel they were going through. Shazza busted through knocking the entire bone bridge down. The Riddicks knew that it would be a hassle later.

When the sand cat reached the Hunter Gratzner a crew consisting of Imam, Johns, Fry, Ravyn, and Riddick rushed in to grab the needed cells. Jack, Shazza, and Paris stayed outside. The planet was getting closer to the two suns. By the time Imam brought out the last cell, the solar sand cat had died. Noise began coming from the giant termite like mounds. The creatures began to fly out.

"How many are there?", Johns asked nervously.

"Beautiful", Ravyn whispered as a giant black mass began to cover the sky.

"People just a suggestion, but perhaps you should flee!", Paris yelled from the safety of the luggage cart.

Everyone began to fun except for Ravyn and Shazza. It wasn't until Riddick turned back around did he realize that Shazza was running, but Ravyn's gaze was still transfixed on the creatures moving towards her.

"Ravyn!", Riddick shouted. She still stood there as if under a spell. He yelled her name three times before he started to come for her. It was the fourth time when his voice was laced in concern that she began to run. In no time she had caught up with Shazza.

"Get down!", Riddick warned. Immediately Ravyn obeyed and dove into a nearby ditch. Shazza did the same. They both lied down quietly until the swarm passed.

Ravyn wasn't getting up unless Riddick told her. She knew he had the advantage of seeing what the others couldn't. Almost a few seconds later Shazza shot up and began running. The swarm picked her off and split her body in half as she kept screaming. Riddick had to hold Jack back from running out to Ravyn.

"Up!", he managed during the struggle to keep the girl safe.

Ravyn slowly got up and walked towards her husband. She was knocked down by Jack as the child clung to her thanking God for her safety. She smiled and hugged the girl back and whispered that she was fine. Laughing she stood up as Riddick gently turned her around checking for cuts. He pulled her into a tight embrace where words weren't needed. After a minute they detached and she grabbed his hand leading the way into the ship, but was stopped when she realized Riddick wasn't moving. She told Jack to go on and turned to put her hand on his back.

"What is it, lover?", she cooed. A pet name she had given him since their first night together in the Slam.

"Like I said. It ain't us you got to worry about", he smiled as he turned to acknowledge Fry standing behind them.

Inside the ship they tried their best to find flashlights, lighters, and anything else to help them see in the dark. Riddick and Ravyn didn't have that problem, and Jack stuck closer than ever to the pair.

"If only she would have stayed down, she'd be okay. She didn't have to die", she complained. It confirmed the couple's suspicions, Jack was a girl. Ravyn put her arm around the young girl, and kissed her forehead. She moved them to a place where no one could hear their discussion.

"I know who you are, Jack. You don't have to play the part anymore", the older woman whispered.

"How did you know? Does Riddick know? Please don't tell anyone", Jack began to sob.

"You tried too hard to be a boy. Yes, my husband knows…and no we won't tell anyone, for now", she smiled as she embraced the child.

"You remember the bone yard? These just might be the fuckers that killed everything on this planet", Johns explained loudly. It was a hint for Ravyn and Jack to return to hear his theory. They did so, and Ravyn gave him the look of an annoyed animal ready to pounce and kill.

"What are we going to do now?", Jack asked Riddick.

"Are these the only lights we have? I-I-Is this everything?", Paris stuttered.

"No there's a cutting torch on the floor here somewhere I just can't find it", Fry shuffled around.

"Shut up!", Ravyn ordered as she leaned against the wall. It was those noises. Those creepy, mournful noises.

"Why do they do that? I hate that sound", Jack whispered inching closer to pair behind her.

"Maybe it's the way they see. The sound reflecting…", Imam started. There was a big crash in the further part of the cabin.

"Could be a breech in the hull", Fry suggested when they heard distinct clawed footsteps. Jack shrunk behind Ravyn and then went to stand next to Riddick.

"Come on, Johns. You've got the big gauge", Riddick mocked.

"I'd rather piss glass. Why don't you go fucking check", Johns growled.

"I'm not staying here a minute longer!", Paris panicked. He began to run but Fry threw him against the wall with her forearm on his neck.

"You don't know what's out there", she whispered. Ravyn was impressed. It seemed the captain had taken a back seat approach to handling the passengers. It was about time she got bitchy.

"I know what's in here", he wheezed.

Imam broke open locked door and ushered everyone in. He locked the door behind them and leaned up against it.

"I wouldn't rest there if I were you. Its just a suggestion", Ravyn said.

"Great an even smaller place", Paris complained.

A long sword-like claw pierced through the steel door mere inches from Imam's shoulder.

"She tried to tell you", Riddick sighed. He light the cutting torch and began to cut a hole into the back wall. Ravyn and Jack were the first to go through and Johns covered the end. They began to block it off as the Riddicks explored the new rooms. They loved not having to wear their goggles. Two pairs of eyes gleaming through the night they reached the darkest part of the baggage cart when they realized they weren't alone. On one of the barrels was a creature and it was eating a younger version of itself. Riddick backed up pushing Ravyn behind him and they hid in the shadows.

Imam's second oldest kid walked right in front of the Riddicks. He was completely unaware of the thing on the barrel. Well at least until it dropped its meal on the floor causing him to back into another set of barrels which got the creature's attention.

"Extremely bad timing", Riddick scolded as he stepped somewhat out of the shadows. Ravyn remained behind.

"Just don't run", she whispered to comfort the youngster.

"Riddick?", Fry called.

"Don't stop burning", he advised.

Another creature appeared on the stack of barrels that the boy was below. Riddick backed into the shadows pulling Ravyn with him.

"We can't just let him die!", she shouted angrily.

"Better him than you", Riddick said firmly.

The boy began to run and was sliced in half. Two more creatures joined in the frenzy of ripping the flesh apart and gobbling it down. Riddick stepped out in the middle of the room and noticed another one right behind him. He pulled Ravyn in front of him and screamed for her to run. They turned a corner when Imam shined his flashlight into Ravyn's unprotected eyes sending her down. Thinking they'd be shot at as skiddish as these people were, Riddick fell on top to cover her. Johns began shooting. When the dead body fell, only then did the Riddicks get up.

"Is it still alive?", Fry asked shining her light on the corpse. It began to decompose as the light hit it.

"Its like its scolding it", Paris said amazed.

"It hurts them. Light actually hurts them", Fry said excitingly.

They heard more of them so they kept moving until they actually got to a safe place. There they discussed what to do next.

"So we got one cutting torch, we got two hand lights, there's gotta be something else out of the crash site", Fry explained.

"Spirits. Anything over forty-five proof burns rather well", Paris hinted.

"How many bottles you got?", Ravyn asked.

"I don't know. Maybe ten", he answered.

"Okay. Johns, you've got some flares. So maybe we've got enough light", Fry sighed.

"Enough for what?", the merc growled.

"We stick to the plan. We get the four cells back to the skiff. We're off this rock", She explained.

"Look. I hate to ruin a beautiful theory with an ugly fact. That sand cat is solar. It won't run at night", Paris said matter-of-factly.

"So we carry the cells. We drag them whatever it takes", Fry said defiantly.

"You mean tonight? With those things still out there?", Jacks said scared.

"Alright now how long can this thing last? A few hours, a day tops", Johns shot.

"I had the impression from the model, that the two planets were moving as one. It will be a lasting darkness", Imam answered quietly.

"These suns gotta come up sometime, and if these creatures are phobic about light we just sit tight. Then we let the sun come up", Johns was determined to win this theory battle.

"I'm sure somebody else said that. Locked inside that coring room", Ravyn popped in.

"We need to think about everyone right now. Especially the kid. How scared is this boy gonna be outside in the dark?", he continued.

"Don't use him like that", Ravyn warned.

"Like what?", Johns asked innocently.

"As a smoke screen. You deal with your own fear", she growled.

"Why don't you shut your mouth for two seconds and let me come up with a plan that doesn't involve mass suicide", he warned.

"I'm waiting. How much you weigh, Johns?", Ravyn smiled.

"What's it matter, Ravyn?", the merc sneered.

"How much!?", she demanded.

"Around seventy-nine kilos to be exact", he answered.

"Cuz you're seventy-nine kilos of shitless white meat and that's why you can't think of a better plan!", Ravyn screamed. Five years of pent up aggression was about to spill out.

"Is that right?", Johns yelled getting his gun out. Riddick got up to intervene and got the barrel stuck underneath his chin.

"Where do you think you're going?", Johns smiled. Riddick took off his goggles to let his seductive eyes do the talking and began tapping his shiv on Johns. It was right near the merc's manhood and the curve could easily slash.

"Okay", he said sitting down.

"They're afraid of our light. That means we don't have to be so afraid of them", Fry tried to soothe Jack.

"And you are sure you can get us there? Even in the dark?", Imam asked Fry.

"No I can't. But they can", she answered pointing to Riddick and Ravyn. Mrs. Riddick was caressing her husband's face when he turned from her to Fry. He looked once more to his wife before he nodded.

"I can't promise that all of you will make it", he mumbled. Taking Ravyn's hand he led her out of the room. "I need you to have my back", he whispered, "I have a feeling things are going to get rough. We protect each other. Stay by me…never leave my sight. Keep the girl close. We'll be fine."

"As long as you keep mine. Falling for the little stowaway are we? You're thinking of taking her off planet with us aren't you? You've let her wiggle into your conscience just as I have", Ravyn smiled kissing him. She cared greatly for the girl named Jack. It was like having a little sister, or better yet a daughter.

Kissing passionately they agreed to watch out for their little family. Yet they would kill if they had to. Anything to protect each other and the girl. When they got off planet, then they would decide whether to keep the girl or take her to a better planet.


	7. Riddick's Route Mutiny Amongst Survivors

Pitch Black: The Riddicks

Chapter Six: Riddick's Route; Mutiny Amongst Survivors

Ravensparrow17

Author's Notes: Sorry about the wait guys. I have had a lot of things to do and stuff but now I am here…and updating…thank you all for the reviews…I'm glad this fic has taken off as well as it has. Here we go…

**ONTO THE STORY**

Fry poked her head out along with the cutting torch. She opened the door the rest of the way, and had the others follow closely behind her. They got to the main part of the ship and let Riddick look through. Ravyn was guarding the end. Carefully he strolled up and removed his goggles.

"Looks clear", he called back. Ravyn sensed it wasn't but before she could voice her suspicions a creature swooped down. It caught everyone by surprised and caused all the others to fall to the ground. Ravyn stayed up and shot the creature with a gun she had stolen from Johns earlier. Riddick smiled his sexy grin.

"You said clear!", Johns yelled angrily.

"He said it **looks** clear", Ravyn hissed as she walked over to help her husband up. 'Soon', she thought, 'Very soon I can kill this motherfucker and be done with him.'

"Well what's it look like now?", Johns asked.

"Looks clear", Riddick smiled.

Inside the ship they gathered ropes of light to wear around themselves. They created a sled for the cells and to put the lights on. Fry helped Paris with his "spirits".

**CALM BEFORE THE STORM**

"I'm running about ten paces ahead. I want light on my back but not on my eyes. And check your cuts. These bad boys know our blood now", Riddick explained to Fry as he helped put lights on Ravyn's back as well. He checked his wife over to make sure she had no cuts. He had to be careful because her silky skin created an old familiar desire. What he wouldn't give to have her then and there. By the moans he was getting, Ravyn was feeling the same.

They got near the door, ready and anxious. Jack was holding Ravyn's hand as the woman followed Riddick out. Fry held the torch as the others crowded around her. With the makeshift sled they began their tread across the dark terrain.

"We stay together, we keep the light burning", Fry explained as she walked up beside Mrs. Riddick.

"That's all we got to do to live through this thing", Jack smiled weakly squeezing her comfort grip.

"Keep up, Johns", Ravyn instructed. He was falling further and further behind, which in her mind meant he was trying to stick in her mind and unfortunately it was working.

"Yeah", he growled.

"Look we're just wasting light back there", she snapped, stopping and turning around. He was getting on her nerves too much, and one more thing was about to send her over the edge. 'Not even Riddick can stop me', the killer instinct cooed, 'Knowing Johns will never bother either one of us again.'

"You give him the cells and the ship and he'll leave you all out there to die, even you, Ray. If keeping you costs him his freedom, he'll abandon you", Johns smirked.

Ravyn had returned to walking, but again stopped and let go of Jack's hand. She pulled out the extra shiv Riddick had given her. Jumping on top with the blade to his throat her eyes began to preternaturally glow. The urge to murder was all the blood thirsty side could think about. It would definitely please her to feel the rush of warm liquid cover her hand like a glove.

"I don't get it, Johns. What is so fucking valuable that you're worried about losing? Is there anything at all besides me and your next spike? Tell me!", she screamed. Riddick had stopped when he realized his wife wasn't **at least** ten paces behind him. He rushed over to pull her off of the merc. As much as it would have pleased him to see Johns die, he couldn't afford Ravyn getting cut in the fight.

"Let me go! Let me finish what I started five years ago. Riddick, so help me God, I'll kill you too", Ravyn screamed hysterically. These fits of rage were what got her sent to Crematoria, then Slam. Once she was ready to kill nothing stopped her.

"Calm down, lover. Ravyn, listen to me. Listen to my voice", Riddick cooed. When this didn't work he took the direct approach. He pinned her down and sat on top of her. Steel-willed eyes glared at drunken anger. After fifteen minutes Ravyn succumbed. Her body wanting him, needing him, and causing her breathing to labor.

"As soon as we're off this rock, I swear. Baby, I want you too, now more than anything. Not now", he whispered huskily. In a passionate kiss they sealed the promise.

Riddick assumed command of the group, when his loins had calmed down along with his lover. Ravyn returned to her place beside Jack and Fry. Paris's torch went out adding less threat of light.

"Stay close", Fry assured the others.

"Stay near, Fry. I need to ask Riddick something", Ravyn smiled. Quickly she jogged up to her male companion. In the time it took her to make her way, Paris had dropped something and Jack volunteered to get it.

"Wait", the girl called as she ran to get it, without light or Ravyn.

"Jack!", Ravyn yelled as a monster came after the youngster. Imam threw down his light and covered Jack. Johns began firing at the monster as it flew away.

"Jack!", Ravyn ran for the girl stopping as she and Fry found themselves staring down Johns's gun barrel.

In all the confusion Paris panicked and quickly began to crawl away pulling a generator off and causing the sled's lights to go out.

"Paris! Get back here!", Fry screamed as the Riddicks looked on. Ravyn reached Jack embracing her tightly.

"Are you alright?", she fussed looking her over for cuts or bruises.

"Yeah I'm fine", Jack smiled at the attention, realizing more and more she began to look to the Riddicks as her parents.

"This can't be happening", Paris kept repeating to himself as he crawled further away from the safety of the group. He stopped as he realized his fatal mistake. There was a hiss then a gut wrenching sound as if someone's insides had been split open. Paris used his lighter and looked at his bloody left hand.

"I was suppose to die in France. I never even saw France", he whispered as he spit the liquor from his own personal canteen, into his lighter. It revealed five to ten creatures waiting to pounce.

Johns lit a flare and lighter the other "spirits". He glared over at Riddick as he saw him caress Ravyn's face. The look in her eye was of pure love, the extreme opposite of what he always received. He noticed after his loathing thoughts came to pass that he was getting that disgusted look from Ravyn right then and there. If Riddick were gone, then perhaps he could relish in the look of awe that she so lovingly gave her husband.

"Well, it's good to see you're okay", he sarcastically smiled.

Riddick turned to the kill and saw what was going on. Three creatures were tracking either Jack or Ravyn.

"Do I even wanna know?", Fry teased. Her sense of humor was the only thing that was keeping her from freaking out right then and there.

"Babe, stay close. You and the kid", he whispered so only his wife could hear.

"Are we getting close?", Jack asked.

"Can we pick up the pace?", Ravyn joined in. The creatures were too close and the attacks were becoming more frequent and fierce. There was no telling who all would actually survive this encounter.

The last question angered Johns. He knew it was hinted towards him, and he was pulling as hard as he could. He quickly dropped the ropes to the sled and wanted to kill the only thing he loved. Imam called his attention to the sled tracks.

"Wanna tell me what the fuck is going on?", Johns confronted Riddick.

"We crossed our own tracks", Fry said to herself.

"Why have we circled? Are we lost?", Imam began his own interrogation.

"Listen!", Riddick began.

"Do you even know where we are?", Imam kept on.

"Listen!", Ravyn demanded. Everyone kept quiet due to her death glare.

"Canyon ahead. I circled once to buy some time to think", Riddick explained.

"I think we should go now", Imam nervously looked around.

"I don't know about that", Ravyn knew what her husband was thinking.

"That's death row up there", he explained, "Especially with the girl bleeding."

"What the hell are you talking about? Neither Carolyn nor Ravyn's cut", Johns was annoyed. The group stood in shock and disbelief. Johns couldn't believe he didn't realize it before.

"You've got to be kidding me", he mumbled.

"I…I just thought it'd be better if people took me for a guy. I thought they'd leave me alone", Jack began to sob.

"Christ, Jack!", Fry screamed.

"It's alright, sweetheart. We knew. That's all that matters", Ravyn embraced her, "I'm here."

"Are you really bleeding?", Fry tried to sound more sympathetic.

"You could have left me at the ship, Ravyn. That's why I didn't say anything sooner", Jack cried into Mrs. Riddick's chest.

"Never, love. I would never leave you. I've grown a bit attached", Ravyn smiled as she gently wiped the tears off of Jack's face.

"They've been nose-open for her ever since we left. I thought it was Ravyn, but when they went after her before Paris is when I figured it was Jack. In case you haven't noticed they go off blood", Riddick explained to Imam.

"Look, this isn't going to work. We're going to have to go back", Fry admitted, defeated.

"What'd you say?", Johns hissed, "You're the one who got us out here in the first place and turned us into sled dogs."

"I was wrong I admit it. Ok, can we just get back to the ship?", Fry pleaded. There was no need for more to die under her command.

"I don't know, Carolyn. Nice breeze, wide-open space. I'm starting to fucking enjoy myself out here", he raised his voice.

What are you high again, Johns? Just listen to yourself", she was becoming bolder. There was no reason for her to back down to a hype.

"No, no you're right, Carolyn. What's to be afraid of? My life is a steaming pile of shit anyhow, so I say mush on!", Johns screamed, "The canyon's only a couple of hundred meters, after that it's skiff city. So why don't you butch up like Ravyn, and you stuff a cork in this fucking kid, and let's go." His last sentence was directed towards Ravyn. This sent Fry over the edge.

"She is the captain. We should listen to her", Imam defended.

"Listen to her?", Johns sneered, "When she was so willing to sacrifice us all."

"What are you talking about?", Jack panicked.

"This does not help us, Johns", Ravyn began to defend her rescuer. A very rare occasion, if it caught Johns off guard, he didn't show it.

"During the crash, she tried to blow the passenger cabin, tried to kill us in our sleep", he accused.

"Shut your mouth", Fry said through gritted teeth. She had trusted him with this one secret and at a trying moment he failed her.

"We are fucking disposable. We're just walking ghosts to you", Johns continued his attack.

"Shut your blowhole!", Fry screamed as she ran at Johns. Easily he threw her to the ground. Ravyn began to intervene when she felt a familiar grip, and Riddick's gleaming eyes telling her to leave it alone.

"Fine. You've made your point. We're all scared, be we cannot let it cloud our judgement", Ravyn explained as she helped Fry off of the ground.

"Oh, Ravyn, how much do you weigh now? You've let them get to you", the merc smirked, "The verdict's in. The light moves forward."

Riddick growled as he headed towards the front of the group to assume leadership. He cared little for the conflict. All that mattered was getting off the rock.

"Ain't all of us going to make it", Johns noted as he caught up to the convict. Ravyn remained behind comforting Jack and encouraging Fry, while listening to Imam's wisdom.

"Just realize that?", Riddick glared.

"Seven of us left. If we could make it through the canyon and lost just one, that'd be quite a feat, huh?", he hinted.

"Not if I'm the one", the convict smiled. Johns was getting ready to reveal a plan. One that Riddick would most likely use on him.

"Well what if you're one of six?", the merc sneered. Suddenly he stopped to hear the creatures wailing.

"I'm listening", Riddick whispered.

"What are they doing up there?", Jack asked Ravyn. Ravyn was curious as well and knew a fight would break out soon. Johns was up to something and like an animal tensing before an attack, Riddick's muscles flexed and relaxed with each fluid movement.

"They're talking about the canyon I suppose. How to get us through", Imam tried to verify.

"Battlefield doctors use to decide who lives and dies, its called triage", John explained his justification for his plan.

"You kept calling it murder when I did it", Riddick complained. He only killed to survive, no more and no less. A concept only his lover understood.

"Either way, I figure it's something you can grab onto", the merc made an excuse.

"Sacrifice play", the convict said louder so his wife could understand what was about to happen, "Hack up a body and leave it at the start of the canyon like a bucket of bait."

"Trawl with it", Johns corrected, "We get extra cable from the sled. We drag the body forty, fifty feet behind us". Johns had it all figured out.

"Nice embellishment", Riddick complimented. For once the merc was thinking on his end, but he wouldn't be thinking for long. The time to get rid of Mr. Johns was nearing and the end of his obsession for a certain Ravyn.

"Well, I don't wanna feed'em I just wanna keep them off our scent."

"So which one caught your eye?", Riddick said turning around.

"No, no don't look. Christ what's fucking wrong with you?", Johns scolded.

"Imam, slow down. Just a little more space between us and them", Ravyn warned. She sensed Riddick's killer instincts were in nirvana. Best no one got in his way.

"All right, enough of this hinting. You do the girl and I'll keep the others off your back", Johns laughed. He knew if Riddick killed the kid that Ravyn was fond of…then that would be the end of their marriage. He noticed he had hit a nerve when Riddick stopped, "Not too big of a job for you, is it?"

"I'm just wondering if we don't need a bigger piece of bait", Riddick said silently.

"Like who?", Johns played dumb. Yet he knew the fight was on when Riddick's yes gleamed over with blood lust. Seconds seemed hours as Riddick finally knocked the flare Johns had been carrying out of his hand. He easily snatched the gun from the holster, but the shot was deflected by Johns's only good block.

"Leave the sled, let's move!", Fry screamed at the others.

The gun kept firing until Johns got a few good hits. It rendered Riddick stunned for maybe a millisecond. The merc then dislocated the hinge joint in Riddick's elbow. Throwing Johns off into a spiked rock formation, Riddick quickly put the joint right. He also took off the lights on his back so they wouldn't limit his ability to fight. They began to circle, analyze, and size each other up. The eerie light of the flare added to the image of Riddick's demon silhouette. His eyes gleamed as he pulled out the shiv.

"One rule", Riddick growled. He cut Johns's hand that held a blade, and then smacked him good with the light pack. "Stay in the light."

Johns used his baton to knock Riddick down. He grabbed the shiv and almost had it to this throat, when Riddick smiled.

"Remember that moment. Ravyn in my arms, and her smiling over your grave", he laughed. He hit Johns, grabbed his shiv, and continued to push the merc out of the light as he cut his back.

"You never should've taken the chains off Johns", Riddick yelled as he picked up his light pack, "you were one brave fuck before. You were really badass. The chains, the gauge, the badge." The flare was out and the convict gone.

"He told you to ghost him", Ravyn's voice echoed.

"Ravyn, help me!", Johns quietly begged.

"Afraid I can't", she laughed. He could picture her seeing him, smiling at the fact that he could possibly die, and in that moment he realized…she was just like Riddick. The love that he had fought so diligently for was a waste. He hated her as he hated her husband.

He could hear the creatures hissing and positioning themselves around him. He refused to give up. Calculating he tried to deduce how long it would take to track Riddick. A creature swooped down and knocked his gun loose. He scrambled, picked it up and began to shoot wildly. Another creature raced up and stuck its deadly claw through Johns's chest. In sheer delight it bit off his head. Even in death Johns had failed, never would his memory cross Ravyn's mind, not even in disgust.


	8. Chapter Seven: All or Nothing

**Chapter Seven: Moment of Truth**

A/N: Thank you all for being patient with this long awaited update. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

The Riddicks surprised the little group. Fry ran into Ravyn and screamed in horror. Quickly she grabbed Jack and pushed the teenager behind her. Jack was less than willing to comply, but her protests fell on deaf ears.

"Back to the ship, huh?" Riddick snickered, "Just huddle together until the lights go out."

"Get away from us", Fry warned. She held her fire to them as if it would make a difference.

"Til you can't see what's eating you? Is that your big plan?" Ravyn stated quietly. She hated when people didn't think things through. Honestly if she and her husband weren't here these people would not have made it as far as they had.

"Where's Johns?" Imam changed the subject. It was obvious that his question backfired. Instead of easing tensions it brought them to an all-time high.

"Which half?" Riddick asked honestly. He found amusement in the questions that no one else did. Even Ravyn shook her head. He didn't care of her disapproval when it came to Johns's death. The bastard was dead and they could move on with one less merc on their tails.

"We're going to lose everybody out here", Jack began to sniffle, "We should've stayed at the ship."

"He died fast", Riddick tried to comfort the young girl who started to be more like his daughter, "If we have any choice about it, that's the way we should all go out."

Ravyn noticed that Fry was no longer pitting herself between them and the child. Jack had turned away during her previous statement to hide the tears that were freely flowing. Ravyn could almost taste the salt that emanated from the young girl. Slowly she reached out her hand to touch Jack's shoulder. She wasn't sure how it would be taken, but Jack didn't move and her breathing was not erratic as everyone else's. Gently, Mrs. Riddick wrapped her arms around the girl's slender shoulders. She smiled as Jack leaned into her.

"Don't you cry for Johns", Ravyn whispered, "Don't you dare cry for that asshole."

As a mother would kiss their child on the head for reassurances, Ravyn comforted Jack and kept one arm around the small neck as a type of security blanket. Riddick began to have second thoughts about whether or not it was wise to worry about Jack, if getting off this rock meant Jack's sacrifice then so be it. Yet his final decision would not set well with his wife. The most important thing was protecting himself and his lover while getting off this hellish planet.

While the diminishing caravan rested, Riddick noticed a skeleton of one of the creatures a few yards off. Quietly he retreated to study the priceless find. It was a known fact hunters like killers looked for a weak spot in their prey. His observations of certain aspects lead him to find a blind spot in the creature's senses. They were basically farsighted when something was right in front of them. It explained why they used their claws to violently slash their victims, to pick up a scent of blood, and from there others could join in on the feast.

'No. No. That can't be it', Riddick tried different theories as for why there was a blind spot and how the creatures hunted.

"Shall we pray together?" Imam's voice annoyingly shattered the con's concentration. He slammed his specimen on the ground.

"I have already prayed with the others, including your wife", the holy man seemed amazed himself that she agreed to participate in a religious practice.

"My wife has always believed in a Higher power and I respect that. She also respects that I don't share that belief", Riddick preoccupied himself with retying the ropes to the sled.

"It's painless", Imam assured. He thought Riddick would feel a little better after the prayer and maybe his path to forgiveness would begin.

"It's pointless", Riddick bluntly stated. Religion wasn't a part of his life and he never saw need of it.

"Because you do not believe in God does not mean He doesn't believe in you", Imam used a very personal statement he came to realize early on in his pursuit of finding fulfillment in Allah.

"Think someone can spend half of their life in a slam with a horse bit in their mouth and not believe?" the con murmured, "Think he could start life out in some liquor store trash bin with an umbilical cord wrapped around his neck and not believe?"

"You got it all wrong, Holy Man. I absolutely believe in God..and I absolutely hate the motherfucker."

"He is with us nonetheless", the holy man was a bit offended but persisted.

"Two of your boys are already dead. How much faith do you have left, Father?" Riddick had truly hit a nerve.

"As much faith as you put into your resistance in actually accepting the fact that there may be more to life than flesh and blood", Ravyn growled. She was fed up with the assault that each man had skillfully conducted on each other.

"Your spirit may be broken, lover, but do not try to break anyone else's. Do not question another's faith when you cannot handle being questioned yourself. I already told you Priest that my husband would not hear your words of faith when he has no hopes of ever having a faith to let them inspire", her eyes gleamed with ancient wisdom that even caught Riddick's breathe.

When Imam left, the con stood up with silver eyes intent on his wife. He wouldn't admit outright but what she had said hurt him. It seemed she was resentful about him not believing in a Higher power.

"I know you think that I only look at the bad and I never question the Universe about why I'm here, but my spirit is far from being broken", Riddick whispered, walking closer to the back that Ravyn had turned on him after what she had said.

"You believe in NOTHING. The only faith you have is in me and it scares me. Baby, I won't always be here to trust and depend on", Ravyn's voice was a bit shaky. She knew if she ever died before her husband he would lose all reason to be who he was.

"Who says you're going anywhere? I won't let you die", her husband was taken aback by her confession. So long as he had control over a situation he would be able to prevent her death.

"You can't protect me from growing old or getting a deadly disease. We're mortal and our bodies can only take so much", she explained.

"So what are you saying?" Riddick was confused as to where the conversation was leading.

"Promise me that you'll act less hopeless and less determined to admit you're not in control of everything. I know you had a hard life and I shared the same early beginnings. Maybe not EXACTLY the same but nevertheless it was still a painful childhood", she started.

"You're afraid we won't get out of here. You're using your beliefs to hide your fear", Riddick realized. His hand found its way to her face where she held a sad expression.

"Baby, I am not as hardcore as you. I'm just really good about hiding my emotions and yeah I'm afraid that one of us will get killed…and", his finger on his other hand graced her lips. She was crying. This whole situation was new to her. Yeah killing people was easy, but dealing with eternal night and demon-like creatures sent shivers down even Riddick's spine once he thought about it.

"Ravyn, when I married you I swore to protect you with my life, right? We are going to get through this. Have a little faith in me. Don't give it all up to God", her husband grinned as his chin found its familiar place at the top of her head and his arms embraced her tightly.

"Well, maybe a _little_", she laughed hugging him. If there was anyone in the world she would want o be stuck on a planet that was sure to eventually kill her, it would be her husband.

"I love you", she whispered, snuggling into his chest.

"I love you too", he kissed the top of her forehead.

After their "moment" Riddick decided to lead the group through the canyon. The new rule was that Ravyn stay by his side and Jack simply tagged along. By the sounds of it, there were over a hundred creatures in the canyon. Everyone but the Riddicks gazed up in fascination. Riddick looked for a safe path and Ravyn simply held his hand as they crouched down beside each other to peer through the dark.

"I see only on way", he gently stood up at a slow pace so he didn't yank up his wife.

"That way. It's the only way off this rock", Riddick continued pointing straight ahead, "Keep the girl close."

Ravyn nodded approval and grabbed Jack's hand.

"What about the cells?" Imam questioned. Riddick decided to untie the ropes from the sled when he noticed there was blood, blood that belonged to Paris and didn't need to be a reminder to the group about who got left behind, nor be a tracking device for the creatures. Jack was enough of one.

Riddick looked to his wife and noticed her hesitation, but was assured when she weakly smiled.

"I'll take those", he volunteered. He was behind the small group adjusting his goggles as he told them to move. He maneuvered the ropes around so they wouldn't cut into his skin.

"Can you keep up?" Fray was worried the killer would fall behind.

"He said MOVE!" Ravyn ordered as she moved forward pushing the others to go on.

As they ran, holding their spirits, a horde of younger, smaller creatures began to fly into them. The group slowed down to a steady, safe pace to ensure no creature would attack. As they flew above their heads, Fry lifted up her torch and caught one on fire, and then another. Riddick barely dodged both flying balls of fire, when blue fluid began to fall from the sky. Ravyn knew exactly what it was and immediately demanded the others not to look up. Unknowingly Fry did just that and saw the creatures attacking each other.

"They're killing each other!" Fry informed the group. Riddick barely pushed her out of the way before a dead body came hurling down.

"Didn't my wife say DO NOT LOOK UP?"Riddick was annoyed as he let go of her roughly. Desperately they moved this way and that avoiding the masses falling on them. When they reached the halfway point, the bones that had been broken earlier when they drove through were in the way. Ravyn growled knowing that she would later regret that free settler's careless driving.

"Move! Keep moving!" Riddick shouted angrily as the group simply stopped. They parted as he busted through them taking over the lead. Quickly they all started to move the mountain of bones to continue their trek. Riddick easily made a hole and went through followed closely by Ravyn and then Jack. Fry jumped in right before Imam, who stopped when the last of his boys grabbed his robes. One of the creatures had wounded him. It had lain dead on the ground until it took the chance to slash at someone. The boy had dropped the spirit he had been carrying and it burned the creature causing it to release him.

Imam lifted him up and started to make a bandage for his leg as Fry tried to help. Jack stopped and let go of Ravyn's hand as the Riddicks kept going.

"Riddick, wait!" she called to the leader of the pair, "Ravyn!"

Jack stood in between the medical treatments of Imam and the abandonments of Riddick. Her eyes grew wide as she heard a creature call, as it swooped in for her. Thinking on her feet, Jack stepped directly in front of a giant bone that broke and pinned her to the ground as the creature charged it full force. It began pecking away at the fossil as it tried to reach Jack below. Her screams were first ignored by Riddick, but he began to have a change of heart when Ravyn and Fry rushed to save the girl.

"Get off her!" Fry screamed as she shined the flashlight onto the creature, causing it to burn. Ravyn started to throw her spirit at the creature but feared catching Jack on fire. She opted with jumping on its back but was thrown off into a pile of bones. That sent Riddick into killer mode. He took off his goggles and rushed toward the creature, catching its attention. The beast flew into the air directly towards the con with its claws out, intent on killing. Yet Riddick caught its claws and held it away as its mouth kept snapping at his face. When it reared back to preferable bite off his head, Riddick pulled out his shiv and started his bloody work of shanking the creature and slicing its belly open to reveal its guts. He broke its neck as it fell to the ground to ensure its ultimate demise.

"He did not know who he was fucking with", Riddick mumbled as he rushed over to his wife. A rib sticking out had pierced her shoulder. Carefully he removed it and ripped a part of his black slingshot shirt to make a temporary bandage. He knew that it would heal in minutes. It was a strange power that Ravyn possessed.

"I'm fine, we need to keep moving", she growled. Riddick simply nodded and went back to the power cells. He was annoyed by his wife's connection to the girl now. She didn't need to be risking her life for someone she hardly knew.

The other three members of the party were struggling. The would in Imam's oldest boy was deeper than anyone had originally thought. He was not really able to stand.

Ravyn felt a drop of water hit her nose. She inhaled the air around her. Mixed with the putrid smell of the rotting corpses of the creatures, the evermore overpowering smell of rain began to appear. Soon it began sprinkling and then a stronger drizzle kicked in. she was torn from her thoughts by her husband's maniacal laughter.

"Where's your God now?" he sneered at the holy man. Fry and Jack tried desperately to cover their torches but eventually one of them went out. They were trying to light it up again while Imam attended to the younger man's wound.

"Must you antagonize?" Ravyn mumbled as she joined her husband on the cliff that overlooked their fellow travelers. She noticed his intense stare towards the settlement.

"Do you see the settlement? Are we close?" Fry called out to the stoic con, "Riddick?"

"We can't make it", he stated after a few moments of silence. In that instance, Ravyn knew he had no intentions of helping the others anymore.

Before another word could be said, a tail quickly wrapped around Imam's boy's neck and lifted him up. One of the creatures had climbed down the cliff's face and snatched him. Imam's cries fell on deaf ears as the demon stole away with its prize.

Riddick looked to Ravyn mentally advising that she was not to leave his side or his sight. She followed closely behind him as he ushered the others into a small cave. She was not surprised when he rolled the rock back over covering of the cave trapping the captain, the holy man, and the child.

She would deal with his betrayal after they made it to the skiff. She knew picking an argument in their current situation was futile.

It took almost all of her might to help get the cells up the slippery mud slope that led to the settlement. Once they were there Riddick hooked up the cells with ease.

"You told me to keep the child close, like you wanted her to live", Ravyn started in.

"Since when do you care about anyone else on this planet?" Riddick snapped at her. He knew that she was upset with his decision but he reminded her one key point, "I swore to protect YOU to get YOU off this rock with me, not any of them."

"She admires you, you know, like a little sister admires a big brother, like a daughter adores her father", she kept on.

"Well obviously I am not her brother or father and she's not my concern! Since when is she yours?" her husband growled. He was done talking about this.

"Since…it's not like I've been hiding my maternal instincts, I figured you would know…" she began rubbing her stomach. She had been hiding it from him and the others. She also had been trying to tell herself that she couldn't be, but surprisingly there was no other explanation. Ravyn was pregnant and at least three or so months along.

"You're fucking with me", Riddick tried to convince himself. She was working her mind games on him to get all fluffy and warm inside to help the others and then when everything was done she would tell him she wasn't. She couldn't be, they hadn't really had time since…

"When was your last cycle?" he asked her trying to figure this out.

"Three months ago or so…" she mumbled looking away.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Ravyn!" Riddick got into her face. She was going to look him in the eye and tell him the truth. He could tell when she was lying and telling the truth, it was something that attracted him to her because since she met him over three years ago, she had never lied.

"Why would I lie about being pregnant? I know you have some reservations about it and I knew you would just freak the fuck out even more being here if you knew that I was", Ravyn admitted.

"Baby…", he smiled, "We're going to have a baby?"

As soon as Ravyn smiled and nodded her head he picked her up and began twirling her around. His sexy smile was so contagious she couldn't help but laugh. They're moment was short lived when Fry came running up. Quickly Riddick set Ravyn down and protectively stood in front of her. He knew that she could handle herself with this pint sized bitch but he was not going to let her anywhere near his wife and child, especially with the crazy look she had in her eyes.

"Following your survival instincts, I admire that in a woman", Riddick stated, "How else do you think I met my wife?"

"I told them that we would go back for them with more light", Fry panted.

"Did you now? Hmm", the con extended his arms across the door way completely blocking Ravyn now.

"What? Are you afraid?" she accused both of them.

Ravyn started laughing first, "Us, afraid?"

"Come on, Ravyn, some part of you wants to rejoin humanity", Fry urged.

"Frankly speaking, it was humanity who banished me into realms of what you see: a cold, heartless killer with a knack for mind games", Ravyn ducked under her husband's arm and began walking toward the shocked captain.

"So you would just leave her like that? You would leave her behind?" the captain was obviously talking about the child.

"Not that it's any of your business but no, I wouldn't just leave Jack like that. You on the other hand, I've been waiting to kill", Mrs. Riddick began inching closer and was surprised when her husband stepped between her and her target.

"Easy, Kitty Cat", he glared at her. She was not pleased by him defending this other woman to her and she was going to raise hell over it later but right now they had to stand united in front of the captain.

"To answer your question, I wouldn't know how", Riddick began to crouch down to the ground. This was a power play to make the captain think she was at an advantage.

"Well give me some more light and I'll go back for them myself", Fry announced thinking that may make the pair budge, but she was surprised when Ravyn handed her the light pack that Riddick had been using and said "Here you go."

"Please just come with me", she begged Riddick. She thought she could get to him, because obviously the wife didn't like her for whatever reason.

"I have an idea, why don't you come with me?" He smiled. He could feel the daggers coming from Ravyn's eyes on his back but if the captain was that willing to live why not take her off planet with them.

"You're just fucking with me, I know you are", Fry couldn't believe what she was hearing. Only a few hours ago the pair was working with the rest of them to get them together and to be able to get off this planet and now…now she was having to beg them to help her get the remaining survivors off.

"You know I am? You don't know a damn thing about me", Riddick stated menacingly. He was not here for some psychobabble bullshit. He was offering her a real chance to leave this planet alive, "I will leave you here. Now step inside."

Fry started looking around. She didn't think she would be faced with this dilemma so soon. She had to choose between herself and someone's life again. She knew she had done wrong the first time and she was not going to fuck up again. She fell to the ground like a crumpled doll and began crying. "I can't, I…I.."

"Yes you can. Come on I'll make it easy for you", Riddick offered his hand to her after standing up, "Come on you can do it. Save yourself, Carolyn, no can blame you for it."

Ravyn was watching this other woman very intently. She had hit a spot with Riddick. He had always been a bleeding heart for those who could survive and felt guilty about their gifts. She became even more annoyed when she saw him walk behind Fry and pick her up, trying to help her onto the loading dock door. Fry began to stand up halfway up the ramp and Riddick became distracted by the sounds of creatures approaching. Ravyn turned her back and began walking up to the pilot's chair. She was NOT leaving the others behind if he was taking his "precious" captain. She would fly the ship over that canyon and crawl down there and get the child and holy man herself. She was interrupted in her planning process when she heard Fry yell and turned to see her attacking Riddick.

"Oh HELL NO!" Ravyn screamed as she started to head towards Fry. Before she could reach the woman on top of her husband, Riddick assumed control and asked a vital question.

"Would you die for them?" he demanded.

"I would try for them!" Fry screamed back.

"You didn't answer my question. Would you DIE for them?" he growled in her face.

"Yes, Riddick, I would. I would die for them!" the captain shouted as she looked him in the eye with a shiv on her neck.

"Interesting…" Riddick smiled as he let her up.

They returned to the canyon to retrieve the holy man and the child. It warmed Ravyn's heart to hear the child say she never had a doubt when both she and Riddick stuck their heads in to show they had returned.

"Anyone in here not ready for this?" Riddick laughed.

"There's my God, Mr. Riddick", Imam stated.

Jack stayed close to Ravyn and Fry stayed close to Riddick. They started to go back through the canyon up the hill that led to the settlement but there were creatures landing right in their way. Riddick huddled the group together behind a boulder and patiently waited to see when the opportunity would arise for them to run past. He grabbed hold of Fry's hand and everyone began holding hands down the line. Ravyn was not pleased with having to share her husband's hand with another woman who clearly was falling in love with him.

Riddick saw the opportunity and ran right through the group of creatures, but when they got to the hill the mud was even looser and it was harder than it was a few minutes ago to get up it. Riddick grabbed Ravyn and held her close to his chest, with one hand on her stomach.

"I want you go to with them, show them the way. I'll be right behind you", he pressed his forehead against hers, "Don't argue with me, you're pregnant and I need to know that you and the baby are safe, no distractions."

"You better come back to me, you big ape", Ravyn smiled with tears in her eyes.

"Keep them safe", he stated and helped her up the hill into the holy man's hands. He turned around and fell down as he tried to crawl up the hill. He was keeping the creatures' focus on him. Once he got over the hill he began running.

It had been quite a while since Riddick sent the group on their way. Ravyn stood far from the others, rubbing her stomach, praying that her husband come running up from the dark abyss soon. She looked at the others. Imam was encouraging them to just go ahead and get on the ship, this was somewhat disturbing since she thought he would be more than willing with his religious background to wait if there was still hope. Fry kept looking to Ravyn with sadness in her eyes as if she had pity for the ex con. Ravyn didn't like it but if it kept this ship down longer to give her husband time to get to them she didn't care.

Suddenly Ravyn heard Riddick screaming. He was in pain, which meant something bad happened. She and Fry took off running while Imam kept Jack at bay at the ship. There were things being thrown around and Riddick's continued hollering.

"Richard!" Ravyn was getting scared. She had never heard him scream in pain like that before.

"Riddick!" Fry was getting worried because she had never seen Ravyn so stressed the entire time they had been on this planet.

Riddick came stumbling up from behind some barrels. His leg had huge gaping wound in it and he could barely stand.

"Oh my God! Baby!" Ravyn ran over and tried picking up her husband. Fry tried to help her. "Get up, Richard! Get up!"

"Come on, Riddick, I said I'd die for them not you, so get up", Fry continued trying to get the con up.

"GET UP YOU FUCKING TOOL!" Ravyn knew if she pissed him off enough he would live to fight and make up with her. Sure enough he began standing but put all his weight on Fry. Ravyn stood there trying to understand why he was depending on this no account bitch who just said she would never die for him while he was wife and mother of his unborn child was just left out in the damn cold. It was then she realized, there was a creature coming up behind Fry. It stabbed her right in the chest and flew away with her. Riddick fell to the ground trying to reach Ravyn.

"Not for me? Not for me, huh?" he sat there on the ground for a little bit longer. He turned to Ravyn and allowed her to help him up.

"You were really upset with her saying she wouldn't die for you?" Ravyn whispered as they made their way back to the skiff.

"I was willing to take her off this rock and leave the others behind. Even with you pissed at me, and she's gonna be a bitch like that?" he growled.

"I would die for you, Baby", she laid her head on his shoulder as they stood at the bottom of the loading ramp.

He grabbed her face and started kissing her passionately. After a few minutes they both realized they had an audience. He wrapped his arm around her and headed towards the cockpit. He sat in the pilot chair and she sat co-pilot, absent-mindedly rubbing her stomach. She smiled when Riddick placed his hand over hers. They looked ahead and Riddick began revving the engine up and preparing to take off, when all of a sudden he turned everything off.

"What the hell are you doing?" Ravyn looked at him confused and then when she saw his sneer she knew, "I see a parting gift."

"Exactly", Riddick revved the engine up again full force and lit a bunch of creatures on fire that had stacked up against the back of the ship. He began running over creatures in the sky as he headed towards space.

Jack walked up and sat between the couple and asked what she was to tell the mercs if they were boarded or such. Riddick looked to his wife and gathered the same answer from her state of mind. "Tell them the Riddicks are dead."

With that being said Riddick set a course for New Mecca. He figured that would be as good a place as any to drop the holy man and kid off at. He knew that things were going to have to change with a baby coming into the picture. He wasn't sure if he was ready to be a father but he knew Ravyn desperately wanted to be a mother. She had mentioned once in Slam. There were going to be changes to their family and he was hoping he could handle it. He reached for Ravyn's hand and kissed it and finally gave a little rub to her belly. Jack noticed the gesture and smiled as she carefully placed her hand over Ravyn's abdomen. The two laughed as the ship sped off for its new destination into the light.


End file.
